the seal  

Clark didn't say much; his focus was entirely on the "Soul Glove."

"Break through, get me out of here," Clark instructed Arnold when he heard him.

Arnold quickly hoisted Clark onto his shoulder and rushed outside. As they passed by the bandaged girl and the bag of supplies, Arnold hung the "pole" across his chest and wielded the serpent's spine as he charged forward. With his bear transformation and the effects of the medicine still active, he moved at an incredible speed.

They remained silent during the journey, with only the relentless cries of the zombies in their ears. The spine of the serpent made a loud cracking sound as it accurately whipped apart any zombies blocking their path.

Both of them were lost in their own thoughts. Although Arnold was overjoyed to see that Clark hadn't died, he couldn't relax entirely. He couldn't forget what he had seen when people were infected by the zombie virus. As the apocalypse progressed, the virus became more potent.

Now, even a minor scratch on the skin could turn a person into a zombie within ten minutes. If someone was severely injured and on the brink of death, they could transform into a man-eating monster in an instant.

Although Clark appeared normal, Arnold could only assume that he was an Awakened with a strong physical constitution, capable of enduring longer.

What should he do? Should he take Clark back? There were still many ordinary people in the hotel, including his own sister. If Clark turned into a zombie, with his current physical attributes, even if he didn't become a mutant, he would be far more dangerous than regular zombies. Bringing Clark back would be like carrying a time bomb.

Arnold struggled inwardly, not knowing what to do. He could only push forward, not thinking too much.

However, he had never considered leaving Clark behind. He had made up his mind. Even if Clark turned into a zombie, he would protect him with his life until the very end.

In contrast to Arnold's scattered thoughts, Clark repeatedly examined the "Soul Glove" on his hand, feeling a bitter taste in his heart.

"Orange Equipment (Epic): [Soul Glove] Broken Seal State"

"Equipment Attributes: Strength +5 (equipment is broken, other attributes will recover after recharging).

"Equipment Skill: Soul Piercer (not yet charged).

"In the damaged state, the glove cannot automatically extract energy from the outside and can only be provided by the wearer's own spiritual power."

"Note: The power contained in this equipment has been completely absorbed. Perhaps you can try to find another obsidian shard to restore its original power."

The glove, covered in crimson patterns, had the embedded obsidian shard shattered, rendering it dull and lifeless. Clark would have to search for another obsidian shard to complete the equipment, which was quite frustrating.

However, Clark didn't complain too much about this repetitive and frustrating task. After all, he had not only obtained equipment stronger than the "Skullcrusher's Hand" but also acquired an S-rank Abyssal Black Dragon!

Restoring the equipment would be a minor inconvenience in comparison. Clark just wondered where he could find another obsidian shard to complete the glove. He couldn't help but feel that there might be some hidden secrets behind this glove. When his strength grew stronger in the future, it might be worth exploring.

As for why the equipment had been sealed, Clark had a pretty good idea. It seemed that the glove's power had been completely drained by the Abyssal Black Dragon. The energy he had absorbed earlier was most likely what the dragon couldn't consume and had overflowed.

An epic-level piece of equipment! Clark couldn't help but sigh. Although he had recovered the "Soul Glove," its attributes were only slightly better than the blue-grade "Skullcrusher's Hand." Strictly speaking, it was even worse than two blue-grade individual pieces of equipment. All attributes were sealed except for a +5 Strength bonus. The game-changing effect of inflicting mental impact with attacks was sealed, the skill "Soul Devour" was also sealed, and even the mysterious "Soul Piercer" remained locked.

Clark was disheartened by the situation. Along the way, he could only console himself, thankful that the most crucial skill was still intact and that the additional strength would compensate for his severe injuries. However, he decided to give up on trying to recharge the "Soul Piercer" skill. The current situation was too perilous, and he couldn't afford to gamble with his spiritual power, not knowing how much was needed for the skill to activate. Even though activating "Soul Piercer" would ensure their safe return, he chose the safer route.

However, he was ready to act when he noticed that Arnold's stamina was declining. With +5 Strength, he had enough power to fight his way back to the hotel. Yet, as soon as he put on the glove, a powerful suction force surged from it, like a giant swallowing his spiritual energy.

The black glove with blood-red patterns suddenly glowed brightly as waves of energy emanated from it. 

What's going on? Why is the glove automatically draining my strength? The instructions clearly said it required my voluntary consent! Clark was filled with shock and anger as the unexpected force drew on his spiritual energy. The strength of the suction was far beyond what he had anticipated, and he couldn't even cut off his spiritual energy in time.

Dammit! In an instant, Clark felt his strength being completely drained, and he blacked out.

In the moment before losing consciousness, he heard a cold and robotic system message:

"Warning, due to an unknown error, automatic replenishment of spiritual power has been triggered."

"The estimated duration of this coma due to spiritual exhaustion is 100 hours, but this time will be reduced due to external replenishment."

"Clark!" As Clark fell unconscious, Arnold's heart sank. He could feel Clark's faint but steady breath disappear in an instant, replaced by a subtle sense of death and decay.

Clark, it seemed, could no longer hold back the zombie virus. In Arnold's eyes, Clark had lost the strength to suppress it. If it weren't for the faint breath he could still detect, he might have thought Clark was already dead.

What should I do? What can I do!? Arnold's eyes reddened, his teeth clenched, and he swayed between the unconscious girl with the bandages and the bag full of medicine in front of him.

Suddenly, he seemed to remember something. The scene when he found the unconscious girl came to mind. In the dimly lit pharmacy, the girl was surrounded by empty medicine wrappers. She might have been infected by the virus too, but she had managed to stay conscious until she passed out.

Medicine? He quickly glanced at the bag of medicine in front of him. Perhaps Clark could hold on like the girl had, preventing himself from turning into a zombie. If he acted quickly, perhaps bringing Clark back for treatment could save him!